The Okpoho

The Okpoho is an ancient money invented by the Efik and used extensively in the 16th century AD across West Africa as a medium of monetary exchange in trade between the Europeans and indigenous west Africans.

Made of bronze or copper, the Okpoho was

usually formed into a ring-shaped object that

looked like a bracelet with each end of the ring

flattened out. Because it looked like a bracelet

(and in fact, was sometimes worn around the

wrists, neck or ankles as bracelets by women of

wealthy husbands), the Spanish called it

‘manilla’, meaning bracelets.

The Okpoho originated in ancient Calabar City, Efik country, and its use was documented in the 16th AD as a medium of monetary exchange where one Okpoho bought one elephant tooth, and one slave could be bought for 8 to 10 Okpohos during the slave trade era. The Okpoho is also featured at the back of the Nigerian N100 currency note, and also in the Akwa Ibom State seal, and in many other places.

Name: Okpoho Function: money